“Looka yonder! Looka yonder!Looka yonder! A big black cloud come!A big black cloud come!O comes to Tupelo. Comes to TupeloYonder on the horizonYonder on the horizonStopped at the mighty riverStopped at the mighty river andSucked the damn thing dryTupelo-o-o, O TupeloIn a valley hides a town called Tupelo

The back water done rolled lord, and tumbled, drove me down the lineThe back water done rolled and tumbled, drove poor Charley down the lineLord, i'll tell the world the water done struck Drew's town

Lord the whole round country, lord creek water is overflowedLord the whole round country, man, is overflowed(spoken: you know, i can't stay here, i'm bound to go where it's high boy.)I would go to the hill country, but they got me barred

Now looky now, in Leland, Lord, river is rising highLooky here, boys around Leland tell me river is raging high(spoken: boy, it's rising over there, yeah.)I'm going over to Greenville, bought our tickets, good bye

Looky here, the water dug out, Lordy, levee broke, rolled most everywhereThe water at Greeville and Leland, Lord, it done rose everywhere(spoken: boy, you can't never stay here.)I would go down to Rosedale, but they tell me there's water there

Back water at Blytheville, backed up all aroundBack water at Blytheville, done struck Joiner townIt was fifty families and children. Tough luck, they can drown

The water was rising up in my friend's doorThe water was risins up in my friend's doorThe man said his womenfolk, "Lord we'd better go"

Oh Lordy, women is groaning downOh Lordy, women and children sinking down(spoken: Lord have mercy.)I couldn't see nobody home, and was no one to be found

If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to breakIf it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to breakAnd the water gonnna come in and we'll have no place to stay

Well all last night I sat on the levee and moanWell all last night I sat on the levee and moanThinkin' 'bout my baby and my happy home

If it keeps on rainin' levee's goin' to breakIf it keeps on rainin' levee's goin' to breakAnd all these people will have no place to stay

Now look here mama what am I to do?Now look here mama what am I, I to do?I ain't got nobody to tell my troubles to

I worked on the levee mama both night and dayI worked on the levee mama both night and dayI ain't got nobody to keep the water away

Oh cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do no goodOh cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do no goodWhenever the levee breaks momma, you got to lose

I worked on the levee mama both night and dayI worked on the levee mama both night and dayI worked so hard to keep the water away

If it keeps on rainingLevee's going to breakIf it keeps on rainingThe levee's going to breakWhen the levee breaksHave no place to stayMean old leveeTaught me to weep and moan, ohMean old leveeTaught me to weep and moanIt's got what it takesTo make a mountain man leave his homeOh well, oh well, oh well, oohOh don't it make you feel badWhen you're trying to find your way homeYou don't know which way to goIf you're going down southThey got no work to doIf you're going north to Chicago

Did you read about the flood?It happened long time ago, in a little country town, way back in MississippiIt rained and it rained, it rained both night and dayThe people got worried, they began to cry"lord have mercy, where can we go now?"There were women and there was children, screaming and crying"lord have mercy and a great disaster, who can we turn to now, but you?"The great flood of Tupelo, MississippiIt happened one evenin', one Friday evenin', a long time agoIt rained and it started rainin'The people of Tupelo, out on the farm gathering their harvestA dark cloud rolled, way back in Tupelo, Mississippi, hmm, hmm

Wasn't that a mighty timeWasn't that a mighty time?Wasn't that a mighty timeA mighty time, that evenin'?It rained, both night and dayThe poor people that had no place to go, hmm,hmmA little town, called Tupelo, MississippiI never forget it and I know you won't either

Hadn't had a good timeSince you know whenGot talked into goin' outWith hopes you were stayin' inI was feeling like myself for the first timeIn a long time'Till I bumped into some of your friendsOver there talkin' to mineThen you roll in with your hair in the windBaby without warningI was doin' alright but just your sightHad my heart stormin'The moon went hidingStars quit shiningRain was droppingThunder 'n lightningYou wrecked my whole world when you cameAnd hit me like a hurricaneYou hit me like a hurricaneKnew it was gonna be a long nightFrom the moment whenWe locked eyes over whiskey on iceTalkin' 'bout us againIf I woulda just layed my drink downAnd walked outI wouldn't be in my truckDriving us to your houseBut you rolled in with your hair in the windBaby without warningI was doin alright but just your sightHad my heart stormin'The moon went hidingStars quit shiningRain was droppingThunder 'n lightningYou wrecked my whole world when you cameAnd hit me like a hurricaneYou hit me like a hurricaneYeah we go to fiveWith your smile, blew me awayAnd girl it ain't but midnightShe gon' kill the lightsBring my heart back to your bedsideThen you roll in with your hair in the windBaby without warningI was doin' alright but just your sightHad my heart stormin'The moon went hidingStars quit shiningRain was droppingThunder 'n lightningYou wrecked my whole world when you cameAnd hit me like a hurricaneYou hit me like a hurricaneHit me like a hurricane

Ole buttermilk skyI'm a-keeping my eye peeled on youWhat's the good word tonightAre you gonna be mellow tonight?Ole buttermilk skyCan't you see my little donkey and me?We're as happy as a Christmas treeHeadin' for the one I loveI'm gonna pop her the question, that questionDo you, darling do you, do?It'll be easy, so easyIf I can only bank on youOle buttermilk skyI'm a-tellin' you why, now you knowKeep it in mind tonightKeep a-brushin' those clouds from sightOle buttermilk skyDont'cha fail me when I'm needin' you mostHang a moon above her hitchin' postHitch me to the one I loveI'm gonna pop her the question, that questionDo you, darling do you, do?It'll be easy, so easyIf I can only bank on you